Sideswipe: April 22: Sign error

A newborn lamb which was saved from drowning after being rescued from an Aberdeenshire river is at the centre of a legal wrangle. Willows Animal Sanctuary has looked after the lamb - which has been named River, but a farmer has told the sanctuary he wants his "pedigree" lamb back. Kate Robinson, of Willows, told the BBC Scotland news website: "We are appealing to the farmer's better nature. Everyone here is so attached to River now." Ms Robinson added that the vulnerable people who used their animal assisted therapy programme were "deeply distressed" about the prospect of losing the lamb. Farmer John McIrvine, of Strachan, said he wanted the lamb back due to its breeding potential, and was willing to make a donation. Willows said proof of ownership was needed and lawyers were now involved.

Texter in contempt

A 26-year-old man in Oregon found out the hard way that you're not supposed to text during jury duty: When prosecutors were playing a video-taped interview the judge suddenly halted the trial after noticing a light glow around juror Benjamin Kohler's chest.

The judge immediately halted the proceeding and ordered everybody to vacate the courtroom except Kohler who "had no explanation for his actions". The judge declared him in contempt, and jailed him for two days. (Source: neatorama.com)

Lie down and wait for count

David Walsh's Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart is acquiring a reputation for irreverence. Among the exhibits is Greg Taylor's "My Beautiful Chair", which invites a visitor to lie next to a lethal injection chair and experience a countdown, mimicking the time it takes for execution drugs to kill, and then flashing "You Are Dead". (Source: News of the Weird)

Wheelie bin goes under cover

A company is selling wheelie bin covers to disguise your dirty rubbish bin as a hedge. According to the WhatBin.co.nz: "Your home and office are both likely to have undergone a good deal of attention from landscape designers and gardeners - you don't want an ugly council wheelie bin hanging around, messing with the colour scheme!"

Officer's name flies with him

When Matt McLaughlin was a pilot trainee in the RNZAF, one of his course mates was Officer Cadet (Logan) Officer ... "He graduated with his wings as Pilot Officer Officer, and a couple of years later was promoted to Flying Officer Officer. He must have been relieved a further two years later, when promoted to Flight Lieutenant Officer ... ! Unfortunately for him, he did what most military pilots eventually do - he joined the airlines. His first position with Air NZ was, of course, First Officer Officer!"